Design of an Oscillating Sprinkler

Bart Braden
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41076

Mathematics Magazine, January 1985, Volume 58, Number 1, pp. 2938.

T
he common oscillating lawn sprinkler has a hollow curved sprinkler arm, with a
row of holes on top, which rocks slowly back and forth around a horizontal axis.
Water issues from the holes in a family of streams, forming a curtain of water that
sweeps back and forth to cover an approximately rectangular region of lawn. Can such a
sprinkler be designed to spread water uniformly on a level lawn?
We break the analysis into three parts:
1. How should the sprinkler arm be curved so that streams issuing from evenly
spaced holes along the curved arm will be evenly spaced when they strike the
ground?
2. How should the rocking motion of the sprinkler arm be controlled so that each
stream will deposit water uniformly along its path?
3. How can the power of the water passing through the sprinkler be used to drive
the sprinkler arm in the desired motion?
The first two questions provide interesting applications of elementary differential
equations. The third, an excursion into mechanical engineering, leads to an interesting
family of plane curves which weve called curves of constant diameter. A serendipitous
bonus is the surprisingly simple classification of these curves.
The following result, proved in most calculus textbooks, will play a fundamental role in
our discussion.
LEMMA. Ignoring air resistance, a projectile shot upward from the ground with speed v
at an angle u from the vertical, will come down at a distance sv2ygdsin 2u. (Here g is the
acceleration due to gravity.)
Note that u 5 py4 gives the maximum projectile range, since then sin 2u 5 1.
Textbooks usually express the projectile range in terms of the angle of elevation,
py2 2 u; but since sin 2spy2 2 ud 5 sin 2u, the range formula is unaffected when the
zenith angle is used instead.
The sprinkler arm curve
In Figure 1, a (half) sprinkler arm is shown in a vertical plane, which we take to be the
xy plane throughout this section. Let L be the length of the arc from the center of the
sprinkler arm to the outermost hole, and let x 5 xssd, y 5 yssd be parametric equations
for the curve, using the arc length s, 0 s L, as parameter. Let assd denote the angle
between the vertical and the outward normal to the arc at the point sxssd, yssdd.
Well see that the functions xssd and yssd which define the curve are completely
determined (once L, asLd and ys0d have been chosen) by the requirement that streams
passing through evenly-spaced holes on the sprinkler arm should be uniformly spaced
when they strike the ground.
If there were a hole at the point sxssd, yssdd on the sprinkler arm, the direction vector of
the stream issuing from this hole would be Nssd 5 ksin assd, cos assdl, and this stream
would reach the ground at a distance
v2
dssd 5 sin 2assd.
g
The condition that evenly-spaced holes along the arm produce streams which are evenly
spaced when they reach the ground is that dssd be proportional to s:
dssd s
5 ,
dsLd L
or equivalently,
s
sin 2assd 5 sin 2asLd. (1)
L
(We have made the assumption that the dimensions of the sprinkler are small in
comparison to the dimensions of the area watered. This simplifies the calculations, and
the errors introduced are not significant.)
The unit tangent vector to the sprinkler arm curve at sxssd, yssdd is Tssd 5 kx9ssd, y9ssdl,
so the unit outward normal vector (obtained by rotating Tssd counterclockwise by py2)
is Nssd 5 k2y9ssd, x9ssdl. Comparing this with our earlier expression for Nssd, we have
x9ssd 5 cos assd, y9ssd 5 2sin assd.
Since sin 2assd 5 2 sin assd cos assd, equation (1) for the sprinkler arm curve becomes
s
22x9ssdy9ssd 5 sin 2asLd.
L
The value of asLd, the angle between the vertical and the outermost stream as it leaves
the sprinkler, is a parameter under the designers control; once it is chosen, the value of
sin 2asLd is determinedcall it k, where 0 < k 1. Our equation then becomes
2k
x9ssdy9ssd 5 s. (2)
2L
Since Nssd is a unit vector, also
x9ssd2 1 y9ssd2 5 1. (3)

2
 Figure 1
Fortunately, the pair of nonlinear differential equations (2) and (3) for xssd and yssd
simplifies algebraically:
2
2ks
x9 2 1 1 2
2Lx9
5 1,

or
k2s2
x94 2 x9 2 1 5 0.
4L2
Solving by the quadratic formula,

! 1 2.
2
ks
1 12
L
x9ssd2 5
2
Since the sprinkler arm is horizontal at its midpoint, the unit tangent vector
Ts0d 5 kx9s0d, y9s0dl is k1, 0l. Thus x9s0d 5 1, which means we must use the 1 sign in
the quadratic formula. Substituting
1y2

3 ! 1ksL2 4
2
1
x9ssd 5 11 12
!2

in equation (2) gives

1y2
21
3 ! 1ksL2 4
2
y9ssd 5 12 12
!2

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Since xs0d 5 0 and ys0d is arbitrary, we conclude that

E3 ! 1 24
1y2
1 s kt 2
xssd 5 11 12 dt
!2 0 L

and

E3 ! 1 24
1y2
1 x kt 2
yssd 5 ys0d 2 12 12 dt.
!2 0 L

These integrals can be evaluated in closed form, using the identity (kindly supplied
by a reviewer)
2

! 12 3 !1 1 ktL !1 2 ktL 4
2
kt
1 12
L
5 ,
2 2 2

with the result

31 2 1 2 4,
L ks 3y2 ks 3y2
xssd 5 11 2 12
3k L L

31 2 1 2 4.
2L ks 3y2 ks 3y2
yssd 5 ys0d 2 11 1 12
3k L L
This sprinkler arm curve is drawn in Figure 2. Note that the curve is determined by the
requirement that the streams be evenly spaced along the ground when the plane of the
sprinkler arm is vertical. Later we indicate what happens when this plane makes an
angle f with the vertical.

Figure 2
The rocking motion of the sprinkler arm
We wish the sprinkler arm to oscillate in such a way that each stream will deposit water
uniformly along its path, or what is the same, the speed of the point of impact of the
stream with the ground should be constant on each pass of the sprinkler. As it turns out,
this condition cannot be satisfied by all the streams simultaneously, so we shall
concentrate our attention on the central stream.

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Henceforth, lets choose a coordinate system in space, as indicated in Figure 3, with
the z-axis vertical and the axis of rotation of the sprinkler arm the y-axis, with the
center of the arm on the positive z-axis. When the plane of the sprinkler arm makes
an angle f with the vertical, the central stream will reach the ground on the x-axis,
at x 5 sv2ygd sin 2f. The oscillation of the sprinkler arm is described by the function
fstd, and the corresponding speed of the central stream over the lawn is the derivative
x9std 5 s2v2ygd cos 2fstd f9std. Setting x9std 5 Kv2yg, a conveniently labelled constant,
we see that uniform coverage by the central stream is equivalent to the requirement that
fstd be a solution of the (separable) differential equation
2 cos 2fstdf9std 5 K. (4)
Integration of (4) gives the solution
sin 2fstd 5 Kt 1 c. (5)
The parameters K and c have no apparent significance, so we next try to find an
expression for the angular variation fstd in terms of two other constants which are
easily interpreted.

Figure 3

Suppose the sprinkler arm rocks back and forth in the range 2 f0 fstd f0, where the
maximum tilt, f0, is a design parameter in the range 0 < f0 py4. Let the time required
for the sprinkler arm to rotate between the vertical and the maximum angle f0 be
denoted by T. (Thus 2T is the time required for one pass of the sprinkler over the lawn,
and 4T is the period of the complete oscillation.) If we measure time so that
fs0d 5 2 f0, then setting t 5 0 in equation (5) gives c 5 2sin 2f0. Since fs2Td 5 f0,
we then get sin 2f0 5 2KT 2 sin 2f0, or K 5 T1 sin 2f0. Thus
5
 t2T
sin 2fstd 5 sin 2f0,
T
or, since 2 py2 2fstd py2,
t2T
fstd 5
1
2
arcsin3 T
sin 2f0 . 4 (6)

The oscillatory motion of the sprinkler arm is therefore uniquely determined (once
choices of f0 and T have been made) by the requirement that the central stream cover
the ground uniformly.
Remark: Since the maximum range of the central stream occurs when f 5 py4, one
might think the ideal value for f0 would be py4. However, we will show later that the
shape of the region covered by the sprinkler will be more nearly rectangular if f0 is
somewhat smaller than py4.
It remains to describe a mechanism which will produce the desired oscillation, given by
(6). (It was by observing my own sprinkler, the Nelson dial-a-rain, which appears to
use the design described below, that I was led to the questions considered in this paper.)
Mechanical design of the sprinkler
The stream of water entering the sprinkler from a hose can be used to turn an impeller
(waterwheel), which is then geared down to turn a cam with a constant angular velocity
v. A cam follower linkage converts the uniform rotational motion of the cam into an
oscillatory motion of the sprinkler armas the cam makes a half-revolution, the
sprinkler arm is pushed from f 5 2 f0 to f 5 1f0; and on the next half-revolution of
the (bilaterally symmetric) cam, the sprinkler arm makes the return sweep.

Figure 4. A typical cam mechanism

What shape of cam will cause the oscillation of the sprinkler arm to be that given by
(6)? We may describe the shape of a cam in polar coordinates by rsud 5 r0 1 f sud,
where the function f sud describes the eccentricity of the cam, i.e., its deviation from
the circle rsud 5 r0. The pole of our coordinate system is placed at the center around
which the cam rotates, so it is the eccentricity f sud which produces the motion of the
sprinkler arm. As the cam follower moves to the right or left of the point labelled P in
6
Figure 4, by the amount f sud, the other end of the connecting rod moves the sprinkler
arm the same distance along a circular arc of radius ,. Denoting the arclength by s and
using the relation sy, 5 f, we have f sudy, 5 f. Since ustd 5 vt, we want
, t2T
f svtd 5
2 3
arcsin
T
sin 2f0 , 4 0 t 2T.

Our goal is to find a formula for the eccentricity f sud, so we must express t and T in
terms of u and v, using the relation u 5 vt. This is easy: as the cam turns a half-
revolution, from u 5 0 to u 5 p, the sprinkler arm moves from f 5 2 f0 to f 5 f0;
so equating the times required gives pyv 5 2T. Thus
t 2 T 2vt
5 2 1,
T p
so
, p
f svtd 5
2 3 1
arcsin
2
p
vt 2
2 2
sin 2f0 , 4 0 t 2T.

Replacing vt by u, we conclude that

, p
f sud 5
2 3 1
arcsin
2
p
u2
2 2
sin 2f0 , 4 0 u p. (7)

As u goes from p to 2p we want the sprinkler arm to perform the same motion in
reverse, i.e., the cam should be symmetric about the polar axis:
f sud 5 f s2p 2 ud for p u 2p. (8)
The polar curve rsud 5 r0 1 f sud, where the eccentricity f sud is given by (7) and (8), is
the cam shape which will produce the desired oscillatory motion of the sprinkler arm
(see Figure 5). (Note that r0 is arbitrary, provided r0 > ,f0.) This curve has an
interesting geometric property, described in the following definition.
DEFINITION. A simple closed curve C is said to be of constant diameter d if there is
a point O inside C such that every chord of C through O has the same length, d. Any
chord through this center point O is called a diameter of C.

Figure 5
(a) The Cartesian graph of f xxc. (b) The polar graph of r 5 r0 1 f xuc

7
N.B. This class of curves should not be confused with curves of constant width,
a family of convex curves which appears frequently in the literature, e.g. [1].
It is easy to verify using (7) and (8), that our cam curve rsud 5 r0 1 f sud has constant
diameter 2r0.
Proof. Let O be the pole of our coordinate system. Then the diameter of our curve which
makes an angle u with the polar axis is rsud 1 rsu 1 pd, or 2r0 1 f sud 1 f su 1 pd.
Thus it must be shown that f sud 1 f su 1 pd 5 0. Without loss of generality we may
assume 0 u p; then by (8),
f su 1 pd 5 f s2p 2 su 1 pdd 5 f sp 2 ud
, p
3 1 2 4
2
5 arcsin p2u2 sin 2f0
2 p 2
, 22 p
5
2
arcsin3 1
p
u2
2 2 4
sin 2f0 5 2f sud.

Examining this proof, we discover a simple construction for all curves of constant
diameter. Given d > 0, take any continuous function rsud such that rs0d 1 rspd 5 d
and 0 < rsud < d for 0 u p. If we extend the domain to fp, 2pg by defining
rsu 1 pd 5 d 2 r sud, as in (8), the polar curve r 5 rsud will have constant diameter d.
For curves symmetric with respect to the polar axis, i.e., with rs2p 2 ud 5 rsud for
0 u p, the constant diameter condition is simply that rsp 2 ud 5 d 2 rsud for
0 u py2. So d 5 2rspy2d. Thus an arbitrary continuous function rsud defined for
0 u py2, for which 0 < rsud < 2rspy2d, can be extended uniquely to produce a
simple closed curve of constant diameter d 5 2rspy2d which is symmetric with respect
to the polar axis.
The observation that the cam curve for our sprinkler has constant diameter 2r0 suggests
a particularly simple mechanical design for the cam follower linkage: a post fixed to the
center of the cam, sliding in a slot in the connecting rod, with rollers fixed on the rod
separated by the distance 2r0. As the cam turns, the rollers remain in contact with it at
opposite ends of a diameter, and the connecting rod is alternately pushed and pulled
along the line of its slot (see Figure 6). If the cam did not have constant diameter, a
more complicated mechanical linkage would be required to keep the cam follower in
contact with the cam, and to confine the motion of the connecting rod to one dimension.

Figure 6

8
The complete sprinkler pattern
In determining the curve of the sprinkler arm we considered only the situation in which
the arm is vertical, and found that the requirement of uniform spacing of the streams on
the ground then determines the curve uniquely. Similarly, in analyzing the oscillation of
the sprinkler arm we considered only the central stream, and found that the requirement
of uniform coverage by this single stream along its path uniquely determines the motion
fstd. It remains to be seen whether the streams from the other holes will move along the
lawn at constant speeds, and whether these streams will remain equally spaced as the
sprinkler arm rocks back and forth.
Suppose there are 2n 1 1 holes in the sprinkler arm: one in the center and n more
spaced at equal intervals on each side. By symmetry we need only consider the
streams from one half of the sprinkler arm. Using the coordinate system described
earlier (see Figure 3), denote the angles between the vertical and the streams as they
leave the sprinkler arm (when the plane of the arm is vertical) by a0, a1, . . ., an,
where 0 5 a0 < a1 < . . . < an py4. The streams will strike the ground at distances
di 5 sv2ygd sin 2ai, and since the streams are equally spaced along the ground,
di 5 siynddn. That is,
v2
g
sin 2ai 5
i v2
n g 1
sin 2an , 2
3 4
1 i
or, ai 5 arcsin sin 2an .
2 n
The direction vectors of the streams as they leave the sprinkler arm are
Ni 5 k0, sin ai, cos ail, 0 i n.
When the plane of the sprinkler arm is tilted at an angle f, the direction vectors Nj are
rotated through the angle f around the y-axis, so the streams issue from the
holes in the directions Ni sfd5 kcos ai sin f, sin ai, cos ai cos f l. The angle ui between
Nisfd and the vertical is given by
cos ui 5 Nisfd ? k0, 0, 1l 5 cos ai cos f,
so the ith stream strikes the ground at a distance
v2 2v2
disud 5 sin 2ui 5 cos ui sin ui
g g
2v2
5 cos ai cos f!1 2 cos2 ai cos2 f.
g
The point of impact is disfdNisfd, where
kcos ai sin f, sin ai, 0l
Nisfd 5 ,
!cos2 ai sin2f 1 sin2 ai

9
 Figure 7

Figure 8 Figure 9

the unit vector in the direction of the projection of Nisfd on the xy plane. Thus
parametric equations for the path of the ith stream as it moves over the lawn are
2v2 cos2 ai cos f sin f!1 2 cos2 ai cos2 f
xisfd 5
g!cos2 ai sin2 f 1 sin2 ai ,

2v2 cos ai sin ai cos f!1 2 cos2 ai cos2 f

yisfd 5 .
g!cos2 ai sin2 f 1 sin2 ai
Evidently yisfd is not constant, so the path of the ith stream of water is not the straight
line parallel to the central stream which one might have expected.
To parametrize the paths by time, we can simply replace the parameter f by the
expression for fstd in (6). Computer plots of the resulting family of curves are shown
in Figures 8 and 9. In each of these figures, the curves running approximately parallel
to the x-axis are the paths of the streams from one side of the sprinkler arm. Time is
indicated by the curves nearly parallel to the y-axis, which are polygonal arcs
connecting the points on the eight stream paths at six equally spaced instants
T 1 sky6dT, 1 k 6. (Recall that as t runs through the interval T t 2T, the plane of
the sprinkler arm turns through the interval 0 f f0.) Thus, each of the resulting
squares receives the same amount of water on each pass of the sprinkler.
10
As seen in Figure 8, where f0 < 408 and a 7 < 308, the outer streams curve in
significantly, making the squares near the outside corner smaller in area. Since each
square receives the same amount of water per pass of the sprinkler, the sprinkler
shown would overwater the four corners of the region it sprinkled.
In Figure 9, by reducing f0 to about 298 (and decreasing a 7 to 268 to keep similar
proportions to the region watered), not only is the non-uniformity of coverage reduced,
but at the same time the region covered is more nearly rectangular.
We conclude with some observations which could not be followed up here; their
investigation is left to the proverbial interested reader.
1. No attempt has been made to define an optimal shape for the region watered.
Evidently, decreasing the angle parameters f0 and asLd will make the coverage
more uniform, but at the cost of decreasing the area watered. An interesting
question, suggested by a reviewer, might be to design a sprinkler to maximize
the area covered without exceeding a stipulated amount of variation in the water
applied per unit area. This would mean introducing some non-uniformity along
the x and y axes (i.e., unequal spacing of the streams as they strike the ground
when the plane of the sprinkler arm is vertical, and non-uniform speed of the
central stream along its path), to compensate for the overwatering of the corners
observed in Figures 8 and 9 with our sprinkler.
2. My Nelson dial-a-rain sprinkler has an additional feature of interest. On the
sprinkler arm support is a dial which, when turned, changes the radius , of the
arc on which the sprinkler arm moves. The effect of doubling ,, for instance,
can be shown to be to cut in half the region watered. The coverage of this
smaller area is slightly less uniform, however.

... of course other

sprinkler designs are possible.

I find it remarkable that not only are the curve of the sprinkler arm and the motion fstd
of the arm unique, but even the mechanical design of the sprinkler is essentially
determined by the requirement that water should be spread uniformly along the two
coordinate axes. The wealth of mathematical questions raised in the analysis of this
simple mechanism gives me a new respect for mechanical engineering, and greater
confidence in the importance of classical mathematics to students in this field.

11
Reference
[1] G.D. Chakerian, A characterization of curves of constant width, Amer. Math.
Monthly, 81 (1974) pp. 153155.

12